The money will be shared over three years between 40 educational projects involving museums and art galleries.

The aim of the scheme is to help improve children's numeracy, literacy and science skills, their understanding of history and art, and to help parents support their children's' homework.

After launching the initiative last year, the government received nearly 300 bids from museums and galleries.

Steam trains

Schools Minister Charles Clarke announced details of the successful applicants on Tuesday.

Grants range from £3,000 for a museum in Sussex, to £112,000 for an "Art Interactive Multimedia pod" to be built in Bradford.

Charles Clarke: Impressed by the quality of bids

Other projects include one to improve boys' science and literacy skills using the large collection of steam trains at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

Another is an initiative in which the Museum of London will be working with more than 2,000 schools in Londonand the South East to provide materials to set up their own "mini-museums" about the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings in Britain.

Mr Clarke said: "I have been very impressed with the range and quality of the proposals. We will work with Area Museum Councils to help as many of the projects as we can to acquire funding from other sources, or to link with existing initiatives."

Rich range of resources

Culture Minister Alan Howarth said: 'Museums and schools are natural partners in learning and I am delighted that so many projects will benefit from this funding.

"It will ensure that children directly benefit from tailored educational programmes which bring alive the rich ranges of resources held by the cultural sector.

"This underlines the very close cooperation now taking place between our departments."

Here is the full list of grants:

National Museums

• British Library - £87,000
• Victoria and Albert Museum - £79,500
• Science Museum - £26,000
• National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside (Museum of Liverpool Life) - £9,000

London

• Dulwich Picture Gallery - £40,000
• Fable, Bromley - £20,000
• Museum of London - £41,000
• Whitechapel Art Gallery - £45,000
• Lambeth Archives Department - £31,000
• Epping Forest Museum - £40,000
• Cloth of Gold and Horniman Museum - £73,000

North West

• Drumcroon, Wigan - £32,500
• Cheshire County Council - £74,000
• Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council - £35,000
• Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester - £15,000
• The Football Museum, Preston - £22,500
• Lancashire County Council - £17,000
• Beacon, Whitehaven - £12,500

• North Tyneside Council - £85,000
• Tyne and Wear Archives - £24,500

Yorkshire and Humberside

• Bradford Metropolitan District Council - £112,500
• Bronte Society, West Yorks - £9,000

West Midlands

• Wolverhampton Art Gallery - £64,500
• New Art Gallery, Walsall - £82,500
• Herefordshire Council - £11,000
• Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council - £39,000
• Educational Theatre Services, Brimingham - £5,000

East Midlands and Eastern

• Nottingham City Council - £90,000
• Kettles Yard, Cambridge - £23,000
• Norwich Castle - £39,000
• National Tramway Museum, Crich - £88,000

South West

• Exeter City Council - £33,000
• Dorset County Council - £60,000
• Dean Heritage, Forest of Dean - £22,5000
• Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall - £38,500

South East

• Southampton City Council - £17,000
• Brighton and Hove - £90,000
• Reading Museum Service - £81,000
• Chiltern Open Air Museum, Buckinghamshire - £73,000
• Ditchling Museum, Sussex - £3,000